Pivoting Seat Furniture for Two-Sided Room Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pieces of furniture with movable seating elements often rigidly divide a room into two areas, limiting communication between spaces due to fixed line of sight and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A piece of furniture with at least one displaceable seat element that can pivot 180° about a vertical axis, allowing users to sit from either side, facilitating communication across the room by changing the orientation of backrest and armrest functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the piece of furniture has fixed seating elements, then the structure is simple and stable, but the room is rigidly divided into two areas with limited accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the seating elements movable rather than fixed. Each seating element can be pivoted about a vertical axis and displaced between multiple positions, allowing the furniture to dynamically adapt to different spatial configurations and accessibility requirements throughout the day.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the furniture into multiple independent seating elements that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows each seating element to be independently positioned, enabling flexible access to different areas of the room while maintaining overall structural coherence.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seating elements are fixed in position, then the manufacturing and operation are simple, but the line of sight and communication between areas are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The seating elements are designed to be dynamically repositionable, allowing users to adjust their orientation and position to optimize line of sight and communication with different areas of the room. The movable design enables easy pivoting and displacement without complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Each seating element serves multiple functions: it can be positioned to face different areas, serve as a barrier or open space, and provide adjustable seating orientation. This multi-functionality enhances communication possibilities while maintaining operational simplicity through intuitive movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the piece of furniture occupies a central position, then it maximizes space utilization, but it creates a rigid division between front and back areas
Solution Approach 1:
The furniture's central position is maintained while its functionality becomes dynamic. The seating elements can pivot and displace to either face forward, face backward, or create open pathways, allowing the same central location to serve different spatial organization needs throughout the day without permanently dividing the room.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of the seating elements while maintaining their central position. By adjusting the angular orientation and positional parameters of each seating element, the furniture can adapt to different spatial configurations, eliminating rigid area division while preserving central placement benefits.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a variable piece of furniture (10) comprising at least two seat elements (14, 18, 45) upon each of which one person may sit, wherein at least one seat element may be moved back and forth between a first and a second position. In order to expand the variation possibilities of the piece of furniture, the invention proposes that the at least one seat element (14, 18, 45) be movable such that a person may optionally sit on the seat element on a first side of the piece of furniture (10) or on a second side opposite the first side.